OMRON Announces Capital Alliance with Laserfront Technologies, Inc., Global No. 1 in Laser Repair Devices.Tokyo, Japan, May 17, 2007 - (JCN JCN Japan Corporate News JCN Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience JCN Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing JCN Journal of Christian Nursing JCN Job Control Number JCN Journal of Child Neurology JCN joint communications network (US DoD) Newswire) - OMRON Corporation, a global leader in sensing and control technologies, has today announced that it will enter into a business alliance and capital tie-up with Laserfront Technologies, Inc. (LFT LFT left frontotransverse (position of the fetus). LFT Liver function tests, see there ). By integrating its precision measurement and inspection systems with LFT's laser micromachining technology, OMRON aims to deliver revolutionary new levels of quality control to its customers in the manufacturing sector. OMRON's industrial automation business provides advanced, customizable solutions that empower manufacturers worldwide to improve product quality and workplace safety while reducing their impact on the environment. As the dominant player in the global AOI AOI Area Of Interest AOI Automated Optical Inspection AOI Art of Illusion (3D modeling software) AOI Associated Oregon Industries AOI Angle Of Incidence AOI Age of Innocence (David Hamilton book, also a band) (automated optical inspection Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) is an automated visual inspection of PCB(or LCD,transistor manufacture) where a camera autonomously scans the device under test for both catastrophic failure (eg. missing component) and quality defects (eg. ) market, OMRON has developed particular expertise in product quality improvement; its industry-leading precision sensing devices, which include PCB PCB: see polychlorinated biphenyl. PCB in full polychlorinated biphenyl Any of a class of highly stable organic compounds prepared by the reaction of chlorine with biphenyl, a two-ring compound. (printed circuit board) inspection systems and LCD/overlay measurement equipment[1], enable manufacturers to measure, analyze and improve quality throughout their entire product life-cycle. LFT, a former unit of NEC (NEC Corporation, Tokyo, www.nec.com, www.necus.com) An electronics conglomerate known in the U.S. for its monitors. In Japan, it had the lion's share of the PC market until the late 1990s (see PC 98). NEC was founded in Tokyo in 1899 as Nippon Electric Company, Ltd. Corp. carved out in April 2004, was the first company ever to commercialize UV solid state lasers and has gone on to develop world-class expertise in both laser oscillators and the processing technologies used to apply them. A provider of the world's highest-power UV lasers, laser trimmers, welding machines and markers, LFT also boasts top share of the global market for laser CVD CVD Cardiovascular disease, see there repair systems for LCD TFT (Thin Film Transistor) The term typically refers to active matrix screens on laptop computers. Active matrix LCD provides a sharper screen display and broader viewing angle than does passive matrix. See LCD and thin film. TFT - Thin Film transistor substrates[2]. Manufacturers today face growing pressure to deliver consistently high quality while reducing the size, weight and footprint of their products. This form factor reduction is especially challenging for LCD makers, as consumer demand increases for ever larger screen sizes on AV equipment. The marriage of OMRON's in-line inspection and measurement systems with LFT's laser processing expertise opens up new avenues for the integration of inspection and repair processes, which will realize greater efficiency, shorter downtimes and less waste. In addition, while OMRON has a well-established global customer base spanning multiple industries, LFT is a major supplier of laser processing equipment to the LCD, semiconductor and electronic components industries. The new alliance will allow the two companies to provide an enhanced product offering to their respective customers and achieve even greater customer satisfaction. The capital tie-up will be made in an arrangement whereby OMRON shall acquire in excess of 80% of LFT's ordinary shares from Japan Industrial Partners, Inc., NEC Corp. and other major LFT shareholders. "This is a very exciting alliance for OMRON," said Fumio Tateisi, president of OMRON's industrial automation business. "It gives us access to new customers in the flourishing LCD and semiconductor sectors and uniquely positions us as a 'one-stop- shop' for quality control solutions that cover the entire manufacturing process. By fusing LFT's advanced laser processing technologies with our own core competency A core competency is something that a firm can do well and that meets the following three conditions specified by Hamel and Prahalad (1990):
Takeshi Matsunobu, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Laserfront Technologies, Inc. said, "Until now, LFT has concentrated on its customers in the LCD and semiconductor industries. OMRON's technology will allow us to develop new laser solutions tailored to a wider range of customers' needs, and as a result, dramatically expand our customer base." 1. Objective of the Business Alliance & Capital Tie-up (1) Enhancing product line-up to drive business domain expansion The manufacturing industry is in a state of flux Noun 1. state of flux - a state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) preceding the establishment of a new direction of action; "the flux following the death of the emperor" flux . Faced with the challenge of ensuring traceability and compliance with the RoHS directive, meeting the demand for ever smaller and lighter components and trends towards high-density and high-precision manufacturing, makers rely heavily on precision laser processing technologies. Adding LFT's cutting-edge laser repair, marker and welding products to its own extensive line-up of sensors and measurement devices, OMRON plans to unlock new revenue streams by offering total solutions that cover all stages of the manufacturing process, from machining and assembly through to inspection. In turn, LFT will benefit from the integration of OMRON's core sensing and control technologies into its own laser processing products. (2) Maximizing customer satisfaction In addition to offering their combined existing product range, OMRON and LFT will collaborate on new product development, aiming to provide total solutions that meet the needs of their varied customer base. 2. Overview of LFT Company name: Laserfront Technologies, Inc. Main business Development, design, manufacture, sales and lines: maintenance of laser and laser processing machines Representative: Takeshi Matsunobu, President and CEO Paid-in capital: JPY 1.508 billion Location: Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Established: January 30, 2004 Sales: JPY 11.174 billion (FY05) No. of employees: 247 (as of March 31, 2007) 3. Schedule The alliance is scheduled for finalization at the end of June, 2007 (subject to change). (Notes) [1] Devices which enable high-speed and precise measurement of the line width and overlap of TFT substrates in the LCD array fabrication fabrication (fab´rikā´sh  n),n the construction or making of a restoration. process. Monitoring line width variations on the substrate allows manufacturers to predict and prevent defects before they occur. [2] These systems can repair both opened and shortened defects of metal electrodes Electrodes Tiny wires in adhesive pads that are applied to the body for ECG measurement. Mentioned in: Electrocardiography around the thin film transistor of LCD panels Also called a "projection panel," it is a data projector that accepts computer output and displays it on a see-through liquid crystal screen that is placed on top of an overhead projector. See data projector. by laser micro processing. These systems can dramatically improve the yield rate of LCD mass production. CVD stands for Chemical Vapor Deposition Vapor deposition Production of a film of material often on a heated surface and in a vacuum. Vapor deposition technology is used in a large variety of applications. by laser. About OMRON Corporation Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, OMRON Corporation (TSE See Tokyo Stock Exchange. TSE 1. See Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). 2. See Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE). : 6645; NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : OMRNY) is a global leader in the field of automation. Established in 1933 and headed by President and CEO Hisao Sakuta, OMRON has more than 30,000 employees in over 35 countries working to provide products and services to customers in a variety of fields including industrial automation, electronic components, social systems (ticket gate machines, ticket vending machines, and traffic control) and healthcare. The company is divided into five regions and head offices are in Japan (Kyoto), Asia Pacific (Singapore), China (Shanghai), Europe (Amsterdam) and US (Chicago). For more information, visit OMRON's website at www.omron.com Source: OMRON Corporation Contact: James Seddon Email: james_seddon@omron.co.jp OMRON Corporate Communications Department Tel: +81-3-3436-7202 Japan Corporate News Network. All rights reserved. |
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